Where to Eat in Florence, Italy: Restaurants I Keep Thinking About (and the Ones I’m Going Back For)
Last Updated on March 21, 2026 by Lauren Belzer Sanford
Florence has a way of making everything feel like a ritual. A morning espresso at a marble counter. A panino eaten standing in a narrow street. A dinner that stretches for hours because nobody — not you, not your waiter, not the table next to you — is in any hurry to be anywhere else. The food here is up there with the experience of the city itself, and after two trips — first with my family in 2019, and again on our honeymoon in June 2025 — I’ve come to believe that knowing where to eat in Florence is just as important as knowing what to see.
This isn’t a comprehensive roundup of every restaurant worth visiting in the city. It’s an honest list of the places I’ve sat down, ordered, and genuinely loved — plus a short list of spots I’ve researched so thoroughly that I already know where I’m making reservations the moment we book our next trip back. If you’re putting together your Florence itinerary and wondering where to eat, I hope this saves you a few hours of Google or TikTok rabbit holes (no judgment, I’ve been there) and points you straight to something wonderful.
Planning the rest of your Florence trip? See my guide to the best boutique hotels in Florence, the best Airbnbs in Florence, and my full Florence travel guide for everything else.
Where I’ve Eaten and Loved
These are the restaurants I’ve sat down in, ordered from, and genuinely loved — across two trips to Florence, spanning six years. Some are well-known, some are tucked away, and all of them are worth your time.
Buca Mario
Buca Mario holds a very specific, very fond place in my Florence memories: it was the best dinner we had on our honeymoon stop in the city, and the lasagna — I’m not being dramatic — might be the best I’ve ever had in my life. One of Florence’s longest-standing restaurants, dating back to 1886 and located on Piazza degli Ottaviani near the Arno, it has that particular combination of old-world atmosphere and genuinely excellent food that Florence does better than almost anywhere else.
We walked in on our first evening in Florence, slightly heat-exhausted and starving, and walked out an hour and a half later completely content. The lasagna is the non-negotiable order. Get it. Don’t overthink the menu. Get the lasagna. Oh, and the pecorino.
Their desserts are listed on their website as “Sweets at the Cart, strictly homemade,” and the tiramisu from the bowl is worth ordering. Trust me.
Reservations are recommended, especially in summer—book directly through their website.
What to Order
- Seggiano Pecorino Cheese with Apples and Casentino Honey — so good
- Parma Ham with Buffalo Mozzarella
- Burrata Crostini with Fresh Truffle
- Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil or Tuscan Ragù
- Fresh Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragù
- “Grandma Isabella’s” Lasagne — 100% neccessity
- Beef Fillet with Truffles and Mashed Potatoes
La Bussola
This one came into my life through my college roommate, who studied abroad in Florence and told me about it ahead of a trip. On our 2019 visit to Florence, we stumbled upon it without even seeking it out. We were strolling through different Florentine streets trying to figure out what to do for lunch, and there it was. La Bussola, a name I recognized — and the moment we walked in and mentioned her name, we were treated like we’d been coming there for years.
That warmth, that sense of genuine hospitality, is something I’ve thought about ever since. A fixture on Via Porta Rossa since 1960, the food lives up to its longevity — traditional Tuscan cooking, beautifully executed, in a setting that feels authentically Florentine without trying too hard. A place that earns its reputation not through hype, but through decades of doing things the right way. It’s also a wine bar, if you want to stop in for something different than a meal!
We had five people in our party, and they treated us like family, bringing us dishes we didn’t even order, so we got to try quite a few things on the menu — a highlight! Their menu has changed a little bit since 2019, but below is what I’d go for, old and new.
What to Order
- Limoncello Spritz – Limoncello, Prosecco & soda
- Caprese di Bufala – Fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh sliced tomatoes, and basil
- Pecorino alla Griglia con Tartufo Nero Fresco – Grilled Tuscan pecorino cheese with fresh black truffle
- Tagliere Affettati e Pecorini con Crostini Misti x 2 Persone – Platter of Tuscan cold cuts and cheeses with bruschetta for 2 people
- Tagliatelle di Pasta Fresca alla Bolognese – House-made tagliatelle noodles with beef meat sauce
- Gnocchi di Patate con Pesto di Ciliegini & Stracciatella – Potato gnocchi with cherry tomato pesto & stracciatella cheese
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina per 1 Persona con Patate Arrosto e Tartufo Nero – Florentine T-Bone steak for 1 person with black truffle & roasted potatoes
- PIZZA TOSCANA N°5 – Tuscan sheep cheese with black truffle … I mean, cheese pizza with truffles? What more could you want!
- BUSSOLA Pizza – tomato sauce, mozzarella, beef bresaola, rocket salad, and chopped parmesan cheese
- SALAMINO PICCANTE Pizza – Tomato sauce, mozzarella, and spicy salami
Schiacciateria De’ Neri 18r
Not every great meal in Florence requires a table and a reservation. This little spot on Via de’ Neri does something simply delicious — schiacciata sandwiches, loaded with high-quality fillings and assembled with the kind of care you’d expect from a proper sit-down lunch — and it does it better than anywhere I’ve been.
I’ve had a lot of sandwiches. This was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. I said it then, and I’ll say it now. If you’re in Florence, you are going to De’ Neri, you are getting a schiacciata, and you are eating it on a nearby bench or bridge like a completely happy person. There’s typically a line — move quickly, order confidently, have no regrets. And get a spritz. Even though it’s in a bottle, it completes the experience.
What to Order
- La Golosona – Mortadella, stracciatella e pesto di pistacchio (so, so good)
- La Toscana – Tuscan sbriciolona, salad, pecorino cheese, and dried tomato pesto
- La d’Alterio – Artisanal porchetta, peppers, truffle mayo, and caciocavallo cheese
- La Firenze – Prosciutto crudo, pecorino cheese, truffle cream, fresh tomatoes, and salad (my honest recommendation — had it two days in a row).
And honestly, I’m way too excited to return and try the entire menu. They’re huge and could easily be shared if you eat like a bird, like me — so keep that in mind!
La Giostra
La Giostra has become well-known — TikTok and Instagram have sent many travelers here, which I understand completely because it genuinely deserves the attention. But before you let “trendy” put you off, know this: the food holds up. We made a reservation in advance (essential in summer), and the evening did not disappoint.
The room is intimate and candlelit, the service is warm, and the menu is the kind where everything sounds so good that choosing feels extremely difficult. Order the pear ravioli. This is not a suggestion — it is the dish, and it is extraordinary. But if you want something else, maybe order it for your table to share, just to make sure you get a taste! A cozy, romantic dinner spot that earns every bit of its reputation.
Reservations are strongly recommended, especially in peak season. Book ahead through their website.
What to Order
- Stracciatella di Burrata Pugliese DOP con Pompelmo Rosa e Salsa di Fichi – burrata stracciatella, pink grapefruit and fig compote
- Insalata di Soncino, Arance, Pecorino, Noci, Pinoli e Aceto Balsamico – valerian salad with pecorino cheese, oranges, walnuts, pine-nuts and our balsamic vinegar
- Ravioli Fatti a Mano di Pecorino di Fossa e Pere Williams – Homemade Ravioli filled with Pecorino cheese and Williams Pear
- Pappardelle Fatte a Mano, Ragù di Cinghiale Maremmano Ginepro e Pinoli – homemade pappardelle with wild boar, juniper, and pine nuts
- Tagliatelle Fatte a Mano con Ragù Toscano – homemade tagliatelle with Tuscan ragù
- Tart-Tatin di Mele Kalvill – apple tart with a side of vanilla ice cream
- Tirami Su…Su…Su…Su… – tiramisu with a fun name, very delicious!
Il Santino
Across the Arno in the Oltrarno neighborhood, Il Santino is the sibling wine bar to the more well-known Il Santo Bevitore, and it is absolutely worth seeking out. Walk-in only, small, and utterly charming — the kind of place where you settle in with a glass of something Tuscan and lose track of time entirely. The bruschetta and small bites are exceptional, the atmosphere is genuinely lovely, and an aperitivo hour here is one of my favorite memories from the whole trip. If you’re staying or wandering in Oltrarno, this is non-negotiable.
Trattoria 13 Gobbi
This one we owe entirely to Max and a well-timed Instagram search. We were wandering the winding streets of Florence, hunger creeping in, and he pulled up Gobbi while we were still mid-stroll. It turned out to be exactly the kind of find that makes you feel like Florence is quietly rewarding you for just showing up and wandering. Tucked into the historic center, the room has that lovely old-Florence feeling — the décor, the energy, the sense that people have been sitting down to lunch here for a long time and plan to keep doing so.
Max had their rigatoni in tomato sauce with mozzarella; I went with a mushroom pasta that was, admittedly, perhaps too hearty for a summer lunch but absolutely the right call in the moment. The kind of meal that doesn’t need to be the most memorable of the trip to be genuinely good. Sometimes, a solid trattoria in the right neighborhood at the right moment is exactly enough.
Gobbi is part of the Casa Trattoria group, which also has two other Florence spots worth knowing that I’ve personally stopped in to: Marione at Trebbio and Marione Wine Shop — if you find yourself in a different part of the city and want a similar vibe.
Osteria delle Tre Panche
Our last dinner in Florence was also, somehow, one of the most magical — and it almost didn’t happen. Max actually called to make the reservation while we were still at lunch at Gobbi, which felt either very organized or slightly chaotic, depending on how you look at it.
Reservations here are made the old-fashioned way: by phone. It’s worth the extra step. Osteria delle Tre Panche sits on the rooftop of Hotel Hermitage, and the view — the top of the Duomo, impossibly close, glowing in the evening light — is the kind of thing you genuinely can’t prepare yourself for. I spent a meaningful portion of dinner completely distracted by what was directly behind Max’s head.
The kitchen’s focus is truffle, used with real intention across the menu, and we leaned into it fully. We finished with tiramisù, which felt like the only appropriate ending to our final night in the city.
On My List for Next Time
These are the spots I’ve researched deeply enough to already know my order. Consider this my public commitment to getting back to Florence sooner rather than later.
- Buca dell’Orafo: A classic Florentine trattoria with a terrace that sits right on the Arno, practically in the shadow of the Ponte Vecchio. The setting alone would be enough to put it on the list, but it’s the traditional Tuscan cooking — bistecca, ribollita, pappardelle with wild boar — that makes it genuinely exciting rather than just scenic. This is the long, unhurried dinner with river views that I’ve been dreaming about.
- Il Santo Bevitore: The full restaurant to Il Santino’s wine bar, and everything I’ve read about it suggests it delivers on exactly what I love about Florentine dining: seasonal ingredients, a short menu done beautifully, and a room that feels like somewhere worth lingering. The Oltrarno neighborhood is already one of my favorite parts of Florence, and a dinner here would make any evening there complete.
- Enoteca Pinchiorri: Florence’s most celebrated restaurant, and one of the most decorated in all of Italy — three Michelin stars, housed in a historic palazzo, with a wine list that is itself legendary. This is a proper occasion restaurant: a long, leisurely, extraordinary evening that I’m saving for a milestone dinner. Anniversary, birthday, something worth dressing up for. It’s on the list, and it’s staying there until I get back.
- Luca’s by Paulo Airaudo: I wrote about Hotel La Gemma in my boutique hotels guide as the property I’m most excited to stay at on a future Florence trip — and part of that excitement is the Michelin-recognized restaurant inside it. The combination of a stunning boutique hotel and a serious kitchen under the same roof makes it very easy to justify the splurge. Two birds, one beautiful Florentine stone.
There are more (as always)…but I’ll keep it at this shortlist for now.
A Note on Eating Well in Florence
A few things I’ve learned that make the difference between a good meal and a great one in this city: make reservations for dinner, especially in June through August — Florence in summer is busy, and the best spots fill up fast. Lunch is often quieter and occasionally better value. Eat at the bar for espresso and pastry — it’s faster, cheaper, and more authentically Italian. And don’t overlook the aperitivo hour; a glass of something local and a little food in the early evening, particularly in the Oltrarno, is one of the more purely pleasurable things Florence offers.
If you want to go deeper into Florence’s food culture — a market tour, a pasta-making class, a guided food walk through the historic center — browsing Florence food experiences on Viator is a great place to start. A cooking class, in particular, is the kind of thing you’ll talk about for years.
Plan Your Florence Trip
- Where to stay: My guide to the best boutique hotels in Florence, or browse the best Airbnbs in Florence if a vacation rental is more your style — search all Florence hotels on Booking.com or Expedia.
- What to do: The full Florence travel guide covers everything from the Uffizi to day trips into Tuscany
- Getting there: My guide to train travel in Italy — Florence is easy to reach from Rome, Milan, or Naples by high-speed rail
- More Italy: See the full 12-day Italian honeymoon itinerary for how we wove Florence into a larger trip, or browse all my Italy guides.